Meet Solidoodle, the First Sub-$500 3D Printer

You can now get in on 3D printing on the (relatively) cheap thanks to Solidoodle, the first sub-$500 3D printer.

We've seen some pretty cool 3D-printing projects--everything from tech that lets you print your own prescription drugs to a freaking 3D-printed dinosaur. The only problem is that most of us don't have a 3D fabricator because of that steep $1000-plus price tag that usually comes with one.

The Solidoodle might look a lot like Makerbot's old Thing-o-Matic, but it has a relatively large six-cubic-inch build area. The 3D printer also comes preassembled and ready to build any ABS-plastic-based creations, so you can hit the ground running (or printing, as it were).

Bonus feature: its all-steel frame is durable enough to hold up a 200-pound person. You can buy a Solidoodle now with its base model starting at $499, or the highest-end model for just $99 more.